Aeroplane.



H. L., A. E. & 110. SHORT. AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

1,015,09Q. Patented Jan.16,1912.

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H. L A- E. 61- H. 0. SHORT.

AEROPLANE.

11111110111011 111.111) JULY 28, 1910.

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Patented Jan. 16, 1912.

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lliw H. L., A; E. & H. 0. SHORT. AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 191 0.

Patented Jan. 16, 1912.

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H. L., A. E. & H. 0. SHORT.

AEBOPLANE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

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Patnted Jan; 16, 1912.

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' entrain l HQRAGE LEQNAED SHQRT, ALBERT EUSTJACE SHORT, ANIIHUGH USWALD l... SHQET, h"

BATTERSEA PARK, LQI l'lJOll, ENGLAND.

speeillcation of tottera Patent. application filed July 28, 191d. Serial Ho. %,213.

AEEOPLANE.

Patented d Ml,

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known 'that we, Henson LsoNAan SHORT, ALBERT Eusrnon SHORT, and linen OSWALD SHORT, subjects of 'the King of Great Britain, residing at Battersea Park, in the county of London, England, have iii-- -genteel certain new and useful Improvemeats in Aeroplanes, and of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes to he applied tc fiying machines which are caused totravel. through the air by the application of mechanical power or the force of gravity, and which aeroplanes are maintained at the requisite-angle of incidence in order to sustain the said machines, the latter being usually provided with rudders for lateral and vertical steering. Beyond this, 'it is requisite to provide the aeroplanes with means by which lateral balance is sustained about the longitudinal axis coincident with .the line of flight of the machine-,hnd the object of the present invention is toprovidc novel or improved means in connection with said aeroplanes for preserving and maintaining this lateral balance without having recourse to the bending or warping of the main aeroplanes as is at present practiced and well known, such warping or bending being effected in order to vary the,

' angle of incidence of some portion of the a position at which thc valves lie in planes said planes to produce the required turning movement of the said planes about the 1011- gitudinal axis of the machine. I

According to the present invention, the lateral balancing effectis attained by reducing the lifting power of the laterally extend ing aeroplane or aeroplanes upon one side or the other side of the longitudinal axis thereof as may be required this being effected by forming the said aeroplanes with oblong through apertures the length of which apertures extend in a direction parallel with the direction of the motion of the plane through the air, the apertures being normally closed by oblong valves which then fit flush with the surfaces of the planes, and in this position form substantially part of the main surface of thmaeroplanes, but which can be turned abut'axes extending in the direction wof flight and parallel with the lengthway side walls of the apertures into at right angles to the surface of the aeroplanes, but present substantially no obstruction to flight. The valves so placed in their vertical positions, leave the aforesaid aper tures openg and consequently reduce the lifting effect of that part of the aeroplane at which the opened valves are situated. By thus opening one valve or series of valves and closing the other valve -or series oi. valves on the opposite side of the longitudinal axle of the aeroplane, adjustment is efi'ected, the air passing through the opened apertures without deflection, thus releasing the under-side ressure and also nullifying the partial rare action which occurs.

This invention .is more fully described hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings,.in.which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ortion of an aeroplane, showing the va ves located near the rear edge thereof and in their open position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the valves in their normal or. closed position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of an aeroplane fitted with the valves, and showing a method of pivoting the latter to said plane. Fig. 4 is a section on the line a; 3/ of Fig. 3, looking toward the rear edge of the aeroplane. Fig. 5 is a plan of a portion of an aeroplane provided with valves ext/ending rearward from near its forward edge' F1g. 6 shows a method of forming the pivoted valves, in which the dividing piece between adjacent valves as shown in Fig. iisdispensed with, and Fig. 7 is a plan of a biplane flying machine, showing the valves applied near the rear edge and outer ends.

of the lower. plane.

In the construction shown, the aeroplane consists of a forward and rearward member, 1 and 2 respectively, and an intermediate member 3 arranged parallel to the said forward and rearward members, these members being preferably formed of wood. Located of the aeroplane between the intermediate at suitable distances apart and connecting the aforesaid members, are longitudinal rlbs member 3 and the rear member 2 as shown in Figs. 1-3, or may be between the said intermediate member 3 and the forward member 1, as shown in Fig. 5. Each aperture 5 is-separated from the adjacent aperture by a longitudinal strip 6 connecting the two parallel members between which the apertures are formed, and which, together with the parallel members, form a rigid frame i .allel to the direction of flight, as shown.

projecting arm 9 is securely attached to each such valve 7, and a rod'or wire 10 is connected by suitable pivots to the outer ends of these arms, the free end of the rod or wire being so arranged as to be readily accessible to the aviator. This rod is pulled in the direction to retain the valves 7 7 closed by means of a helical spring 11 secured at one end to the aforesaid rod 10, the other end bei'ng suitably attached-,to the framelof the aeroplane, and the strips 6 at the sides of the apertures 5 are-formed say with their edges beveled so as to act as abutments to the correspondingly beveled edges of the valves 7 when the latter are closed.

The valves 7 may be so constructed as shown in Fig. 6, that the division strips 6 shown in Fig. 4 may be dispensed with. In this case the adjacent edges of the valves are slightly beveled at 12, the outer edge of the end valves contacting with a reversely beveled side edge 13 of the frame surrounding the aperture, whereby the valves have to be turned in the direction opposite to the arrows shown in Fig. o in order to effect an opening thereof.

W ith an aeroplane provided with the arrangement of valves as described,it being borne in mind that a set of valves are pro vided at or near the opposite ends of the main plane as shown in Fig. 7, and .each of which set of valves is operated by a separate rod extending to the center of the machine, and preferably attached to a lever readily accessible to the aviator,-it will be obvious to those acquainted with the art that should the aeroplane list to one side or the other, in order to right the plane, the valveson the higher side of said plane must be opened more or less according to the amount of list, and this is effected by the aviator operating the lever so as to pull the rod 10 against the action of the spring 11, thus through the arms 9 rock the valves upon their pivots. By so doing, the air, which in the ordinary way tends to act through the medium of the under surface of the aeroplane to raise the plane on that particular side, is allowed to pass through the apertures normally closed by the valves and thereby the raisingadtion nullified. i i

What we claim as our invention and dcsire to secure by patent is 1. An aeroplane having oblong through apertures, the length of said apertures being in a direction parallel with the direction of motion of the plane through the air, said apertures being located between the forward and rearward edges of said plane, oblon valves located within. said apertures an adapted to be turned on their axes parallel lures to open and close the latter, pivots on said valves located on the forward and rearward edges thereof, means in connection with the lengthway side walls of said aper- 3 with said plane to support said pivots, an

arm projecting from each valve'and securely attached thereto, a rod' pivoted to and connecting the free ends ofsaid arms to turn said valves on said pivots to open said apertures, rod and said main plane to pull said rod in a direction tending to keep the valves in their closed position, substantially as set forth:

2. ,An aeroplane comprising in tion a rigid frame composed of rearward, forward and intermediate parallel members and members arranged at rightangles to said rearward, forward and intermediate a membrane covering said mem- 100 members, bers and having oblong through apertures, the length of said apertures being in the di-. rectionof motion of the plane through the air, said apertures being located between said rearward and intermediate members,

oblong valves located WllhlIIt"S&l-d apertures and adapted to be turned on ares'parallel with the lengthway side-walls of said apertures to open and close the latter, pivots on ward edges thereoflbearings int-he said rearward and intermediate members to support said' pivots, means for turning said valves on said pivots to open said' apertures, and

means for returning said valves to their nor- 115 mal position to close said apertures, substantially as set forth.

3. An aeroplane comprising in combination arigid-frame composed of rearward,

forward and intermediate parallel members lzo and members arranged at right angles' to said rearward, forward and intermediate members, a membrane covering said nem hers and having oblong through apertures, the length of said apertures being in the rection of motion of the plane through the air, said apertures being located between said rearward and intermediate members,

oblong valves located within said apertures and adapted to be turned on axes parallel 130 a helical spring located bet iveen said cOrnbinasaid valves located on the forward and rearreturn said valves to their normal closed 7 with the lengthway side walls. of said aperport said pivots, an arm projecting from each valve and securely attached thereto, a rod pivoted to and connecting the free ends of said arms to turn the said valves on said pivots to open said apertures, and means to position, substantially as set forth.

4. An aeroplane comprising in combina tion a rigid frame composed of rearward, forward and intermediate parallel members and members arranged at right angles to said rearward, forward and intermediate members, a membrane covering said members and havi oblong through apertures, the length of said apertures being in the direction of motion of the plane through the .air, said apertures being located between said rearward and intermediate members, strips arranged between the rearward and intermediate members and located at the side of said oblong apertures, oblong valves located within said apertures and adapted to be turned on axes parallel with the lengthway side walls of said apertures to open and close the latter, pivots on said valves located on the forward and rearward edges thereof, hearings in the said rearward and intermediate members to support said pivots, an arm projecting from each valve and securely attached thereto,- a-rod pivoted to andconnecting the free ends of sa d arms to turn said. valves on said pivots to open said apertures, and means to return said valves to their normal'clos'edgposition, substantially asset forth.

5. An aeroplane comprising in combination a rigid frame composed of rearward,

forward and intermediate parallel members and members arranged at right angles to aid rearward, forward and intermediate members, a membrane covering" said memhers, and having oblong through apertures,

the length of the said apertures being in the direction of motion of the plane through the air, strips arranged between the/ rearward and intermediate members and located at the side of said oblong apertures, oblong valves located within"'said.apertures and adapted to be turned on axes parallel with the lengthway side walls of said apertures to openand close the latter, means in connection with said valves and said strips to insure the correct closure of said valves, pivots on said valves located on the forward and rearward edges thereof, hearings in the ots to open said apertures,

said rearward and intermediate members to support said pivots, each valve and securely attached thereto, a rod pivoted t-o and connecting the free ends of said arms to turn said valves on saidpivand means torreturn said valves to their normal tion, substantially as set forth.

an arm projecting from closed posi- I 6. An aeroplane comprising in combina- I tion a main laterally extending plane havingthrough apertures formed in a longitudinal direction therein and located near the opposite ends of said laterally extending plane, valves to close said apertures, pivots on said valves located on the forward and rearward edges thereof, means in connection with said plane to support said pivots, an arm projecting from each valve and securely attached thereto, a rod pivoted to the'free ends of the arms on the valves at one end of the plane to turn said valves on said pivots to open said apertures, a second rod pivoted to the free ends of the arms on the valvesat the other end of said plane to turn said valves on said pivots to open said apertures, said rods extending toward the longitudinal axis of said plane, and means to return said valves to their normal closed position substantially as set forth." f 7. An aeroplane comprising in combina tion a main laterally extending plane/hair ing through apertures formed in a lorgitudinal direction therein and located near the. opposite ends of said laterally extending plane, valves to close said apertures, ivots on said valves located on the forwar and rearward edges thereof, means in connection with said plane to support said pivots,vanv

arm projecting from eac valve and securely attached thereto, a rod plvotedto the free ends of the arms on the valves at one end'of the plane, a second rod pivoted to the free ends of the arms on the valves at the other 1 end of said plane, said rods extending ta ward the longitudinal axis of said plane and adapted to be moved to turn said valves on said pivotsvto open said apertures, and a Ito,

helicalspring located between each of the said rods and the main plane to ull said 'rods in a direction tendin to Keep the valves in their normal close position substantially as set forth. A

p In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

HORACE LEONARD SHORT. I

ALBERT EUSTACE SHORT. HUGH OSVVALD SHORT. Witnesses! THOMAS WILLIAM Rooms, WILLIAM ANDREW 'MARS'HALL. 

